


One for the Road

by 30secondfics



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-06 19:37:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15201953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/30secondfics/pseuds/30secondfics
Summary: The night before Patsy leaves for Hong Kong, she looks to Delia for comfort. Set in series 6 episode 2.





	One for the Road

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this on Tumblr first and I wasn't going to post it here too, but I was asked to do so and your wish is my command! There are some continuations from "Paris, 1962" so you can consider it a continuation, but it can also be a stand-alone one-shot.

Patsy Mount laid in her bed with her back flushed against the old spring mattress, and her eyes gazing up at the dark ceiling above her. She had practically memorized every chip on the white painted ceiling, and the orange baroque wallpaper that bordered it. Many nights she had stared blankly at the sight, and tonight was no exception. However, while her mind was occupied with thoughts and worries, her ears were attentive to their surroundings.

When Trixie’s deep snores met her ears, Patsy perked up and crunched to sit on her bed. She drew back the quilt from her body and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, eventually pushing herself up to her full height. She glanced at Trixie, and once she was convinced she was asleep, she crept out of the shared room, her movements stealthy and rich with experience.

“There you are…” Delia greeted when her lover opened the door to her bedroom. Even with the troubles and uncertainty that loomed between them, especially Patsy, she couldn’t help but crack a small smile at seeing her lover. She never grew tired of seeing Patsy step into her room, time and time again.

“Trixie took her sweet time falling asleep tonight,” Patsy huffed. She closed the door behind her and walked over to her girlfriend’s bed, seating herself on the edge of the squeaky mattress.

Delia put her book down on the edge of her night table and opened her arms, motioning for her lover to come closer. Patsy naturally crawled into Delia’s warmth and laid her head on her chest. Silence fell between them, and Patsy pressed her ear closer to Delia’s pyjama top, hearing the light thump of her heart beating a comforting tempo.

“You’ll be okay...” Delia broke the silence, ever so softly, her voice soothing and warm. “We’ll be okay...” she added. Patsy was trembling in her arms and she knew her worries were consuming her mind.

“I feel so torn,” Patsy shook her head.

“You are so brave, Pats...” Delia breathed out. “I don’t want you to feel that you have to choose between me and your father. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Every time we have a chance to be together, it’s like the world pulls us apart again. You’ve said it yourself,” Patsy finally let the tears she had been holding back fall freely down her cheeks. “We’re like ghosts… half with each other, but mostly without.”

“And you said we’re not dead yet,” Delia countered. “We’ve found our way back together once before, we’ll do it time and time again.”

Patsy remained silent.

“Right?” Delia questioned softly, now a little worried about Patsy’s lack of a response.

“I hope so,” Patsy voiced honestly. She knew her heart belonged in Poplar with Delia, but she didn’t know how long she would be gone, and she certainly did not know the mental state she would be in after her father’s death. The last thing Patsy wanted to do was make promises, promises about their future that she could not keep.

Delia closed her eyes and rested her head against the headboard of her single bed. She rubbed soft circles on Patsy’s back and wondered if this would be the last time she would hold her in her arms like this. Patsy’s boat was scheduled to make passage through Southampton the next morning, and Delia tried her best to stay strong for Patsy, in fact, she tried really hard to pretend she didn’t fear the distance too. Except, she feared it a lot. She feared that Patsy would find it too hard to hold on to their relationship and, most of all, she feared Patsy would not come back. Delia would never admit it, but she was beyond terrified.

“I’ll write every day,” Delia reminded. “Even if you can’t, or you don’t have the energy to read them, I won’t break the thread. I...” she hesitated, “I won’t stop loving you that easily.”

Patsy glanced up at her lover with tired eyes. She knew their love was rare and she knew she would be a fool to let it go.

“Pats…” Delia placed a soft hand on her lover’s face and gently wiped her tears away, “I would never force you to say something you don’t mean, but I need to know that you’ll at least tell me when we’re over.”

“I’m not ending us, Deels,” Patsy replied with promise in her voice. “But we can’t ignore the fact that this can put a strain on what we already have to fight to maintain. I know you’ll say you’ll fight for us, but I could be gone for… a very long time. We’ll be putting up a fight for a very long time.”

They were both nurses, they both knew—-from experience—-that a palliative case could last days, or months, or in some cases, years of agony.

Delia closed her eyes and nodded her head, “I understand…” she said, though her heart could not fathom the day she would stop loving Patience Mount. Even if she was gone for a year, even two, Delia felt she could keep going, if they put the effort in. If there was even an ounce of hope that they could make it through the rough together, she would fight for them.

“This is all so unfair,” Patsy sighed after some time. If it was up to her, if it wouldn’t have raised so many questions—-or possibly break her dying father's heart to find out she would never have a husband—-Patsy would have asked her partner to come to Hong Kong with her.

“Agreed,” Delia breathed out and took the hand Patsy had rested on her abdomen. She rubbed the soft knuckle with her thumb and grazed the rough fingertips with her own. Patsy had obviously been cleaning with bleach again, as she did whenever she was anxious or stressed.

“Sister Monica Joan once said my bones must have the strength of oxen,” Delia shared after a long moment of silence, trying to lighten the mood. If this was their last night together for a long time, she surely did not want to spend it being miserable.

“Why would she say that?” Patsy furrowed her brows, a bit confused about her girlfriend’s story.

“She said I was the reason for the sudden spike in milk consumption,” Delia admitted with a shy smile. “It’s probably the best compliment I’ve ever received.”

Patsy smirked, somewhat, trying to find humour in her lover’s obvious attempt to put a smile on her face.

“I think you’re the most beautiful woman in London and you’re telling me that Sister Monica Joan has paid you the best compliment, by comparing you to a domesticated bovine animal?” Patsy countered, pretending to be offended.

Delia smirked and gave her lover’s hand a playful squeeze. She knew it wasn’t the funniest tale to tell, but it put a smile back on Patsy’s face, and that’s what she wanted to see.

“Speaking of domesticated…” Delia broke yet another spell of silence after a few minutes, “Did I ever tell you that I’ve had my dream wedding planned out since I was a little girl?”

“I wouldn’t doubt for a second that you already have the song for the first dance picked out,” Patsy replied with a small smile, though it saddened her that she could never give Delia the dream wedding she so obviously wanted.

Delia smiled and traced a ring around Patsy’s finger, where she hoped to one day have their wedding band. “The only thing I didn’t have planned was  _who_  I was going to marry,” she added.

Patsy remained silent and watched Delia’s finger draw circles around hers.

“I tried to picture my life with a chap, but, well… it never quite fit the picture I had in my head,” Delia confessed. “I could never picture myself wearing an apron and cooking a roast while I wait for him to come home from work.”

Patsy couldn’t help but smile at the image that formed in her head: Delia in an apron, acting very domesticated.

“But, you see, when I began to daydream about marrying you…” Delia gazed into her lover’s eyes, “It felt like Christmas morning. I can’t wait to start my day next to you, and ending it the same way… just you and me.”

“That sounds fantastic,” Patsy agreed and tightened her hold around her lover.

“I daydream about it a lot,” Delia admitted with a soft sigh.

Patsy remained silent and thought to herself for a moment. She closed her eyes and pictured the life with Delia that she dreamt of often.

“I dream about us too...” Patsy shared, “Living in a world where we can live a life together… fully. Just like everyone else who’s in love, and nobody bats an eyelid.”

“I wish it was this world,” Delia agreed.

Patsy opened her eyes and sat up. She turned to face her lover and straddled Delia’s thighs, gently seating herself on Delia’s lap. Delia naturally placed her hands on Patsy’s hips and smiled when she saw the sparkle come back into Patsy’s eyes.

“We would have our own flat again---a much nicer one---and I’ll wear the apron and cook the roast while I wait for you to come home from work,” Patsy continued to talk about her dream world, her mood much lighter than when she first came into the room. Delia made her happy, and picturing a life with her filled her heart with joy.

“Oh really?” Delia couldn’t help but chuckle. “I always thought I would do the cooking and you would do the cleaning.”

“We can take turns when we grow tired of it,” Patsy reassured.

“I don’t think I’d grow tired of cooking for you,” Delia admitted.

“Then I shall do all the cleaning, and make sure the bed is made before you get into it every night,” Patsy promised.

“We’ll have a big bed, right?” Delia asked, “Like every married couple? I’ve always wanted to have a big bed like that.”

“Of course,” Patsy smirked and narrowed her eyes, “Although we would be sleeping a little less and a little later at night.”

“Every night?” Delia laughed.

“Every night,” Patsy laughed along. She interlocked her fingers behind Delia’s neck and held her for a moment. “Every night would be like the ones we spent at the Hotel du Lys.”

“Romantic,” Delia smiled and closed her eyes when Patsy placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

“I wish we could recreate those nights now,” Patsy whispered against her lover’s lips.

“Pats...” Delia whimpered with hesitance in her voice. They were already pushing their luck, in their current position, and she feared they would be discovered. Especially since her door didn’t lock. None of the bedroom doors at the convent had locks.

“I know a convent is the last place you’d want to…” Patsy breathed out, “But-”

Delia seized the moment and stopped Patsy’s mouth with her own. In the year that she had lived at Nonnatus House, only Patsy opened her door unannounced. Her fear, although reasonable, was not probable. Besides, she really hadn’t touched Patsy since they were at the Hotel du Lys, on their holiday in Paris this past spring.

“I want to,” Delia confessed, “I always want to, with you.”

Patsy smiled and placed her palms flat against Delia’s chest, smoothing the cotton of her pyjama top.

“We’ll have to be extra quiet…” Patsy whispered, “Can you do that?”

Delia smiled and closed the gap between them, landing another kiss on the lips she loved most.

Patsy pulled back from the kiss after a long moment and crawled off her lover. She stood at the edge of the bed as she lifted Delia’s quilt and slipped in to lay beside her, the bed creaking from the added weight.

“Shh,” Delia placed her index finger on her lips, then smiled as she brought her hands to the buttons on Patsy’s pyjamas.

Patsy watched her lover undo her buttons, and then slipped out of the flannel. She shivered as the cool night air met her shoulders, and she quickly unfastened Delia’s buttons so they could shed their clothes and hold each other, skin to skin.

“I’ve missed this,” Delia whimpered. She slipped a hand behind Patsy’s neck and moved it up to tangle her fingers in her bright red hair. Patsy had shifted to lay on top of her and Delia loved feeling the weight of her lover above her, being as close as they could be.

“Me too…” Patsy placed her hands on either side of Delia’s shoulders and lowered her head to plant hot kisses across Delia’s jawline, down her neck, and then her collarbone.

Delia tilted her head back and muffled a moan between her lips when Patsy sucked on her pulse point. She could feel the heat that was building between them and, what was once a cool bedroom, suddenly became hot and sweaty under her sheets.

Patsy’s fingers found their way to Delia’s mound, and soon enough, Patsy was using her mouth to muffle the moans that were slipping past Delia’s lips.

“Pats…” Delia moaned into her lover’s mouth. The friction Patsy was creating between her thighs built-up a pleasant burn that radiated from her core to her toes.

Patsy’s forearm burned too, but she ignored the discomfort and did what she had to do to please her woman. She wanted Delia to feel good, to feel nothing but pleasure, and it pleased Patsy to feel Delia’s breathing quicken, and feel her abdomen tense and relax against her skin. When Delia’s thighs began to squeeze around her hand, Patsy knew she was approaching her climax, and she readied herself by planting a firm kiss on her lips.

Delia had no choice but to take a deep breath through her nose and shut her eyes tight as she peaked. Her back arched, at first, then she crunched forward and pulsated against her lover, her thighs squeezing around the knee Patsy had placed between them. Her moans were muffled by Patsy’s lips, and luckily, not even a wandering nun could have heard her from the hallway.

Patsy smiled as her lover went limp, and gazed down at her with loving eyes. Delia’s eyelids were still crinkled shut, and her mouth was still ajar. Her breathing was slowly returning to normal, and a light sheen of sweat glossed her forehead. The sight made Patsy smirk with both pride and admiration.

“I’ve almost forgotten how good that feels,” Delia opened her eyes and smiled up at her lover.

“It has been a  _very_  long time,” Patsy agreed, her cheeks still high from the smile that had yet to fade from her lips.

Delia took a deep breath and then smirked as she attempted to flip their position.

“I’d like to stay on top, if that’s okay with you…” Patsy mentioned, her stance firm so Delia couldn’t move her.

“Whatever you need, Pats...” Delia wholeheartedly complied.

“I want to stay like this,” Patsy confirmed with a nod.

“Works for me,” Delia reached a hand up to grasp the thigh Patsy had between her legs. She guided Patsy’s leg to the space on the mattress beside her hip so that Patsy was straddling her again. And without another word, Delia returned the favour and began to touch her lover.

“Oh Pats…” Delia gasped in shock. Hot arousal met her fingertips and she was astounded by the amount that coated her fingers.

Patsy blushed and pressed her forehead against Delia’s. Her breathing hitched and Delia continuously caressed her---first softly, then firmly. It didn’t take long, and when she reached her peak, she buried her nose into Delia’s shoulder and held her in her arms as she came on her lover.

“Patience Mount!” Delia gasped from a sudden pain that stung her shoulder.

Patsy released the skin from between her teeth and huffed as she caught her breath.

“Sorry, Deels…” Patsy murmured between laboured breaths.

Delia glanced at the spot, red and sore from Patsy’s bite.

“I felt like I was going to scream,” Patsy said, slightly embarrassed that she could not contain herself.

“It’s okay,” Delia rubbed the red skin and gave her lover a reassuring smile. “I’d rather a bite than a nun running in because she thought we were being robbed.”

“Shall I get some ice?” Patsy asked, still ever so apologetic.

“It’s not that bad, Pats,” Delia smiled and wrapped her arms around her lover, pulling her into a firm embrace.

“It might leave a mark,” Patsy argued.

“So it leaves a mark,” Delia shrugged. “No one is going to see me naked for a while.”

Patsy’s happy demeanour suddenly changed when she remembered the reality that loomed outside of Delia’s bedsheets. Patsy wished they could just hide underneath the pink quilt forever.

“Hey…” Delia tilted Patsy’s chin up, “Let’s just enjoy what we have, right here, right now. No worrying about the future… until the sun rises..”

“Fine,” Patsy huffed in agreement and held her lover in her arms, savouring the warmth of Delia’s skin against hers before she had to leave her.

The next morning, Patsy pressed a kiss on Delia’s forehead and crept back to her room as her lover slept. She had walked the path so many times, avoiding the especially creaky floorboards became second nature. Trixie was still snoring when Patsy got to their bedroom and she tiptoed around Trixie’s bed before slipping into her own. The boat to Hong Kong left the dock at noon, but Patsy no longer feared the length of her travels ahead. Even if Delia slept on the other side of the convent, even if they shared a home with Trixie, Barbara, Nurse Crane, and quite a few nuns, Patsy knew home was wherever Delia was.

FIN


End file.
